Business Success

The Follow-Up Call and When They Don't Do What They Promised  Art Sobczak Greetings... Ever have that prospect who doesn't follow through with what they promised to do by the next call? Yeah, I know, it's shocking, but it does occur. (You feel the sarcasm, right?) Here's what I heard on a recorded call. Salesperson: "I'm following up on our last conversation and the specs I sent you." Prospect: "I have your information right here but I haven't taken a look at it yet." Caller: "Oh, OK, I'll give you a call back in a few days." Whoa! What's wrong here? Let's analyze the prospect's words, and see what kind of clue we see: Prospect: "I have your information right here but I haven't taken a look at it yet." This is your opportunity to say, "Ok, well as long as you have it there, why don't you grab it, and let's go through it together." This works beautifully for several reasons. First, you're not allowing what you sent to stand alone to do your job: the selling. That's what happens when anything is sent with the instruction, "Take a look at it and I'll give you a call to see what you think." On the other hand, when you request that you examine it together, you're walking them through the finer points; areas you know they have interest in. Also, you get them physically involved. When your prospect does something in response to your request, he/she has moved from the passive state of simply talking on the phone, to proactively engaging their senses of sight and touch. (Of course, if you can avoid the initial follow-up, all the better... if they need to see something, get them to a web page, do an online demo, email them a PDF, etc.) OK, back to this situation where you do need to send something. You'll also save time by using this technique. If you meekly say you'll call back, what are the chances you'll reach them the very next time you phone? One in three, maybe? How much time do you spend on pre-call planning, and writing or typing notes each time you don't reach a person? Five minutes at the least? This time adds up. Time that is gone forever. Time that could be invested in more productive opportunities. Time that doesn't need to be lost if you seize the opportunity when it arises. Here are steps to keep in mind as you prepare your follow-up call so you're ready in case they "haven't read the literature." 1. Your preparation for the follow-up call actually takes place as you end your initial prospecting call. You need to be convinced that they indeed are a good prospect according to your criteria, and that they do have interest in what you're offering. Be stingy with your time and materials. Don't be of the mindset that the more collateral stuff you flood the marketplace with, the better. This results in disappointment. There's nothing wrong with saying, "Pat, if I'm reading this conversation correctly, it seems that if you like what you see when I send the specifications, we have a great chance of working together. Is that right?" 2. Before your follow-up call, be certain you review your notes so you have their primary hot button in mind. For example, "primary interest was in cutting down cost of unscheduled maintenance." If you can't pinpoint a hot button, your first call wasn't strong enough. You shouldn't place a follow-up call unless you know the person is interested in some aspect of your offer. 3. Have in front of you a copy of the material you sent. Be prepared to direct them to a page, a paragraph, or whatever is appropriate to get them talking. 4. Don't be discouraged. If you do indeed need to give them a call back, IF you have at least tried to engage them during this conversation. Even if they haven't looked at your material, take advantage of the situation and get them involved! Continue having your best week ever! *About the Author: Art Sobczak works with thousands of sales reps each year helping them get more business by phone. He provides real world, how-to ideas and techniques that help salespeople use the phone more effectively. Visit Sobczak's Web site.

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Chris Lytle Tip -- Having Wealth, and Class  Chris Lytle Tip: Want something to strive for? According to the US Census, the lower limit of the top 5% of household income is $150,499. At the top of that 5% are the super rich, but getting into the "lower upper class" isn't that large a leap for many salespeople. One thing to keep in mind, "class" is more than money. It includes speech, recreation, style, taste, tradition, and awareness. Anything on that list that you need to work on on your way up? Click here to visit Lytle's site.

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Quote of the Day  Albert Einstein "Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character."

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